Systems and methods for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin

• US 9,536,401 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Morgan, Christopher Carleton Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US14/573,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/26 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

Systems and methods for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin are provided. A method for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin of a vehicle includes linking a vehicle computing device with the mobile device, determining whether a vehicle ignition is off and whether a vehicle lock has been actuated. The method further includes generating an audible mobile device search signal that is played through a cabin and waiting to receive a response from the mobile device as to whether the mobile device detected the audible mobile device search signal. The method further includes determining whether the mobile device is within the passenger cabin based on whether a response was received from the mobile device and generating a first audible indication when the mobile device is within the passenger cabin.

Claims

1. A method for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin of a vehicle comprising:

determining whether a vehicle ignition is off;

determining whether a vehicle lock has been actuated;

generating an audible mobile device search signal that is played through a cabin speaker when the vehicle ignition is off and the vehicle lock has been actuated;

receiving a response from the mobile device at a vehicle computing device, wherein the response is indicative that the mobile device detected the audible mobile device search signal; and

generating a first audible indication that the mobile device is within the passenger cabin when the response from the mobile device is received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a second audible indication different from the first audible indication when the mobile device is not within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the vehicle ignition is off comprises detecting a position of a key switch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audible mobile device search signal is generated through a vehicle audio system that includes the cabin speaker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first audible indication is played through an indicator speaker.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the vehicle lock has been actuated comprises receiving, by a wireless receiver communicatively coupled to the vehicle computing device, a door lock request signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is linked to the mobile device via a wireless connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a response from the mobile device as to whether the mobile device detected the audible mobile device search signal is received by the vehicle via the wireless connection.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining the link between the mobile device and the vehicle computing device after the vehicle ignition is turned off.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein linking the vehicle computing device with the mobile device occurs after determining that the vehicle ignition is off and that the vehicle lock has been actuated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the audible mobile device search signal is a high frequency signal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first audible indication is played through an indicator speaker positioned outside of the passenger cabin.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a wireless signal to a wireless remote computing device, such that the wireless remote computing device generates the first audible indication when the mobile device is within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle having a system for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin of the vehicle, the system comprising a vehicle computing device comprising a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the vehicle computing device, causes the vehicle computing device to:

determine whether a vehicle ignition is off;

determine whether a vehicle lock has been actuated;

generate an audible mobile device search signal that is played through a cabin speaker when the vehicle ignition is off and the vehicle lock has been actuated;

receive a response from the mobile device at the vehicle computing device, wherein the response is indicative that the mobile device detected the audible mobile device search signal; and

generate a first audible indication that the mobile device is within the passenger cabin when the response from the mobile device is received.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to link with the mobile device.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to generate a second audible indication different from the first audible indication when the mobile device is not within the passenger cabin.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein determining whether the vehicle lock has been actuated comprises receiving, by a wireless receiver communicatively coupled to the vehicle computing device, a door lock request signal.

18. A vehicle computing device for indicating the presence of a mobile device within a passenger cabin of a vehicle, the vehicle computing device comprising a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the vehicle computing device, causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following:

determine whether a vehicle ignition is off;

determine whether a vehicle lock has been actuated;

generate an audible mobile device search signal that is played through a cabin speaker when the vehicle ignition is off and the vehicle lock has been actuated;

receive a response from the mobile device at the vehicle computing device, wherein the response indicative that the mobile device detected the audible mobile device search signal;

generate a first audible indication, with an indicator speaker, that the mobile device is within the passenger cabin when the response from the mobile device is received; and

generate a second audible indication, with the indicator speaker, that the mobile device is not within the passenger cabin when the response from the mobile device is not received, wherein the second audible indication is different from the first audible indication.

19. The vehicle computing device of claim 18, wherein the audible mobile device search signal is generated through a vehicle audio system that includes the cabin speaker.

20. The vehicle computing device of claim 18, wherein the vehicle is linked to the mobile device via a wireless connection.